Athlete of the Month

The Team Sheeper Athlete of the Month award is handed out to a member of the team on a monthly basis, 7 or 8 times a year. The AOM is someone who made a notable contribution to the team or did something remarkable. Selection is made by nomination and voting by the membership.

You can nominate anyone and the nomination period is usually during the first week or two of the month. Look for notification that nominations are being sought.  When nomination close, the voting starts and once all the votes are tallied, the new AOM is crowned.

Besides bragging rights for a month, our AOM gets some goodies from our gracious sponsors, such as free shoes from TRH, a massage from SMI, gift certificates from GoRide.

GoRide Bicycles is proud to sponsor this month's athlete who embodies the spirit of Team Sheeper. Located in Redwood City, GoRide Bicycles continues the 30-year tradition of Garner's Pro Bikes.

Tanja Sattler

October 2007 Athlete of the Month

"I just joined Team Sheeper in August and met Tanja on my first group run. She was extremely friendly from the first handshake and went out of her way to introduce me to many other members of the club. She made me feel very welcome from the beginning!" - Fellow Teammate.

Are you currently employed and/or describe your employment/career?

I work in the marketing department at a mortgage insurance company, my background is mostly in nonprofit/fundraising.

What other hobbies do you have?

Watching movies (is that a hobby?), reading (fictional history), politics (foreign policy).

How did you become involved with Team Sheeper?

All credit goes to Dario Benavides for encouraging me to come to the Saturday morning rides. It was a blast training with all of these very enthusiastic 'tweeners (not beginners, but not advanced either!) Everyone took the training seriously but also had a sense of humor. We encouraged each other and constantly challenged ourselves. After a few weekends, I couldn't imagine training with anyone else.

What is your athletic background?

I had been running and riding recreationally since the late 80's, but I didn't really get involved in distance events until the late 90's. I ran my first marathon in 1997. Volleyball was also a great passion at the time but slowly running and biking took over. Then I went to Wildflower (to support a friend) in 2000 and soon after Ironman Canada. Witnessing IMC, especially the run, was a life-changing experience, I was so inspired by the runners on the course that day, I had never seen anything like it. I signed up for IMC when the lottery opened up in September and was stunned when I got a spot. The rest is history, as they say. It's been a great experience!

What is it you like most about triathlons?

The friendships and camaraderie; the constant challenge to improve your performance and the myriad of ways to do so (three sports!); the enthusiasm to try new things. This sport also helps me keep perspective, if I can do this and be happy I'm living a good life.

What races are you planning for the remainder of this year, or the future, that you are gearing up for?

2008 - Boston marathon in April, Wildflower in May, Honu in June, maybe Furnace Creek in September.

What are your Triathlon, or personal goals / aspirations?

Last year's goal was to get into the 30% percentile of my age group. I'd like to try and bring that down to a consistent 20%. Getting to this number will be harder than last year's goal, but I find the challenge exciting. We'll see what happens.

What is your favorite Team Sheeper workout or memorable moment?

Ultimate run - there is something very liberating about chasing your teammates through a sunlit forest in the middle of winter, at the top of the coastal hills, knowing pancakes await you at the finish.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

If you've been training with me, you know everything already. ;)